Polymer Clay Challenge - April 2013

 

This month I decided to submit these beads for my polymer clay challenge.  I am always making round beads and decided that I would have a change.  I didn't realise how difficult it would be trying to get them all the same size.  I thought I would be clever and use the same amount of clay for each bead which was sensible and works for round beads.  The problem came when I tried to shape them.  On reflection I could have made my life a lot easier if I had of used a bead press but sometimes when you are overcome by creativity you don't have time to order and then wait for the postman to deliver essential items.  Still, I have learnt a lesson for next time!

 

 

 

So, what did I create with these beads?  Perhaps I should have written that before the photograph .... oh well!  Yes, I made a necklace.  I have been making lots of necklaces lately using my polymer clay and lampwork beads.  I used plain turquoise lampwork beads because the polymer clay beads were so brightly coloured and vibrant I needed a contrast.  I choose turquoise as an accent colour to pick up the swirls of turquoise within the polymer beads.  I separated my beads using bright pink and I mean bright PINK seed beads.  I am having my very own seed bead revolution at the moment and I have been using them for everything!  However, they are incredibly fiddly, half of them end up on the floor or up the hoover so I am not sure how long this obsession will last.

 

I found these metallic flowers at a bead fair and they make brilliant connector/focal beads.  I like to hang a cluster of dangles from the bottom of the necklace for a bit of interest and just because I like it when they all jingle together.

 

 





 

The beads were very simple to make but the effect is very striking.  I am definitely going to make some more of these for myself in lots of different colours.....but using a bead press.....

Sarah xx
www.beadscrumptious.co.uk
www.hypersmash.com

Monthly Make - February 2013.

 

Back in January I challenged myself to make a new item each month using my lampwork beads.  This challenge will not include using my beads for jewellery but other ways in which my beads can be used!  I am a bit late posting this (I know) but my make for February 2013 is a beaded windchime.

 

 

I found this windchime whilst browsing a local thrift shop and thought mmmm now this could be modified slightly with a few lampwork beads.  I took the windchime apart and decided which pieces I was going to save and placed the rest in a pile for the children to use in their sculptures (another story).

 

 

I found some very bright pink tigertail (I assumed that my daughter would probably pinch the finished article) and had a quick look through my bead box.  I needed to replace the plastic disk that all the windchimes thread into and managed to find a very interesting practice bead that would do the job adequately.

 

 

I took a length of the pink tigertail and threaded it through the holes in the top of the windchime and then back onto itself so it was double stranded.  To prevent the strands from separating I threaded pink seed beads onto both strands.

 

 

Whilst in deep concentration .... this happened to my wire ..... arghhhhhhh!

 

 

I repeated this for each chime.  I could have added the same amount of seed beads to each double strand but I decided to reduce the length of each one (as you can see from the main photo).

 

 

Many moments later ....... I threaded some tigertail through the middle of my focal bead (replacement disk) and attached a jump ring to hang my beads from .... to help create the jingle when they bang against the chimes.  Once the jump ring was attached I then placed the double strand from each chime through each of the four openings on the outside of the bead.

 

 

I finished the windchime by bringing all the threads together with a large floral bead.  I created a central dangle by threading the three round beads on top of a very sparkly crystal that captures the sunlight beautifully.  On reflection, I may tweak my windchime slightly and increase the length of the central dangle but it does make a very pretty tinkle when the wind catches it.  How long I will get to keep it depends on when my daughter notices it hanging from the tree outside my studio .....

 

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com